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What is the white stuff on a pimple?

I heard it was bacteria and white cells. Is that right? How does it get that way? Fun facts?

10 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    You heard correctly. It's the collection of bodies from the fight. Anytime there are invaders in the body, regardless of what they are- the immune system, in the form of white blood cells- attack it. They just sort of pile on. Some die, obviously- and the dead accumulate in the battlefield. When the battle is over with, other white blood cells will force them into a collective pile, which you see as the whitehead of a pimple. When it's all ready to go, the skin forms a tiny opening and it all gets forced out. Sort of putting the garbage on the curb, so to speak. As far as fun facts go, although we call then white blood cells, they really aren't white. There are several specialized types of white blood cells as well. The sort most common in a whitehead are neutrophils. Those happen to contain a chemical enzyme called myeloperoxidase (MPO), which is particularly nasty to bacteria. That is why if you have a greenish color to pus the doctor will suspect a bacterial infection and not a virus. When the neutrophil attacks a bacteria, it releases the enzyme as it is destroyed. Enough pus, and it looks greenish. Basically you produce your own version of hydrogen peroxide, and it's incredibly effective. You also don't want to have it on your hands. Aside from being rather nasty anyway, not all of the bacteria are quite dead sometimes and it still remains a source of potential infection- if not for you, for somebody else.

    Source(s): nurse
  • 5 years ago

    1

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    7 years ago

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  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

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    NEVER EVER pop, pick or squeeze pimples. It just spreads the bacteria and causes scars. Yes, the "white stuff" is pus--a bacterial infection. So don't touch them. Go to the store and buy some acne medication. There are many. It's not expensive, but you do need to get something that is made for acne.

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  • 1 decade ago

    Well if there's white stuff on the pimple it really no longer considered a pimple.

    It's called a whitehead.

    White heads are almost the exact same as blackheads.

    You pretty much treat them the same way too i believe.

    Hope this helps!

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  • 1 decade ago

    it's "pus"- from the infection, so yes, you're basically correct.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    it's pus, don't ask me exactly what it is i don't know

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